Chinese coal-based chemical producers ramp up production as Iran war disrupts oil
Updated
Updated · The Wall Street Journal · Apr 30
Chinese coal-based chemical producers ramp up production as Iran war disrupts oil
16 articles · Updated · The Wall Street Journal · Apr 30
Coal demand from China’s chemicals industry rose 11% year on year in April, while the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz lifted petrochemical costs across Asia.
Producers using coal for chemicals and liquid fuels are shielded from pricier Middle East oil and are benefiting from higher product prices, while shares of oil-dependent rivals have lagged.
The boom complicates China’s climate goals: the sector used an estimated 440 million tons of coal last year and was the main driver of rising industrial emissions.
Can China's climate ambitions survive its crisis-fueled boom in coal-based chemicals?
Beyond fuel, how will the Hormuz crisis permanently reshape global supply chains for food and plastics?